Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
Aug. 6, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- TAMPA -- College students have one more back-to-school item to add to their dorm list: a thermometer.
The onslaught of swine flu -- and its propensity to spread where large groups gather -- has prompted University of South Florida officials to ask the nearly 5,000 on-campus students to be prepared in case they get hit with symptoms that include a fever, sore throat and body aches. Tissues and hand sanitizer are important supplies, but won't help when doctors need to make a diagnosis.
"They're coming to a communal living facility and they need to be prepared," said Egilda Terenzi, medical director for USF Student Health Services. "They need to use these extra precautions."
Young adults have been among the most susceptible to swine flu, also known as H1N1 influenza, which became a national public health concern this spring and has been linked to more than 353 deaths nationwide. On Tuesday, a 28-year-old Hillsborough woman became the 31st Floridian to die from swine flu.
At USF, a steady stream of students have been showing up with the flu throughout the summer, Terenzi said, which means it probably will only get worse as the student population surges to 40,000 when classes resume Aug. 24.
Students diagnosed with flu-like symptoms will be urged to stay home or, in the case of dorm residents, they will be asked to "socially isolate" from others. But that won't be easy considering the dormitories are at about 95 percent capacity, Terenzi said.
Sick dorm residents will be asked to convalesce at home if possible. And professors with stringent attendance policies are being asked to be more flexible so sick students don't feel pressured to attend class. Faculty and staff also are encouraged to take sick leave if they are ill.
"We're asking the students and the faculty to get on board," Terenzi said.
The university's approach to swine flu is far less extreme than it was in the spring, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention first issued alerts to colleges and schools across the country. In April and May, the discovery of a few cases of swine flu led USF to ban handshakes at its graduation ceremonies. Several Tampa Bay area schools also shut down for a comprehensive cleaning.
Though swine flu has been designated as a worldwide pandemic and has affected more than 1 million Americans, its symptoms appear to be milder than initially thought. That led to the more relaxed public health recommendations for schools, said Linda Cobbe, spokeswoman for Hillsborough Schools.
Traditional back-to-school plans usually include a good cleaning of each facility, so no additional efforts are being made to wipe down handrails, cafeterias or common areas. More than 180,000 Hillsborough County students, grades K-12, will return to class Aug. 25.
Those students will receive information about hygienic prevention on the first day of school. That includes advice about frequent hand washing; coughing or sneezing into a sleeve; and staying away from crowds or school if they exhibit flu-like symptoms.
"We would prefer these children stay home, teachers also," Cobbe said.
Unlike the spring, don't expect a school to shut its doors if a single student or staff member is diagnosed with swine flu, Cobbe said. Instead, there will be specific procedures in place to disinfect the facility and inform the campus about the infection, per health department recommendations.
"If they see some trend that concerns them, we will take their advice," Cobbe said.
The health department also is working with USF and school district officials as possible sources to help in the upcoming distribution of swine flu vaccines. The vaccine could be available around October.
Cobbe said if the public schools play a role in the vaccinations, it doesn't mean the shots will be mandatory. A swine flu vaccine, like one for seasonal flu, is not required to attend Florida public schools.
Terenzi said USF always faces an uphill battle getting college students to take preventative health measures. Seasonal flu shots are offered, but few students take the opportunity to get vaccinated. She said the heightened awareness of the swine flu may mean there's a better chance students will heed their advice.
"Students are so much more likely to take it more seriously than the seasonal flu," she said.
For more information about the swine flu, visit the special report at TBO.com, Keyword: Swine Flu.
http://bulletin.aarp.org/states/fl/...wants_student_body_be_prepared_swine_flu.html
The onslaught of swine flu -- and its propensity to spread where large groups gather -- has prompted University of South Florida officials to ask the nearly 5,000 on-campus students to be prepared in case they get hit with symptoms that include a fever, sore throat and body aches. Tissues and hand sanitizer are important supplies, but won't help when doctors need to make a diagnosis.
"They're coming to a communal living facility and they need to be prepared," said Egilda Terenzi, medical director for USF Student Health Services. "They need to use these extra precautions."
Young adults have been among the most susceptible to swine flu, also known as H1N1 influenza, which became a national public health concern this spring and has been linked to more than 353 deaths nationwide. On Tuesday, a 28-year-old Hillsborough woman became the 31st Floridian to die from swine flu.
At USF, a steady stream of students have been showing up with the flu throughout the summer, Terenzi said, which means it probably will only get worse as the student population surges to 40,000 when classes resume Aug. 24.
Students diagnosed with flu-like symptoms will be urged to stay home or, in the case of dorm residents, they will be asked to "socially isolate" from others. But that won't be easy considering the dormitories are at about 95 percent capacity, Terenzi said.
Sick dorm residents will be asked to convalesce at home if possible. And professors with stringent attendance policies are being asked to be more flexible so sick students don't feel pressured to attend class. Faculty and staff also are encouraged to take sick leave if they are ill.
"We're asking the students and the faculty to get on board," Terenzi said.
The university's approach to swine flu is far less extreme than it was in the spring, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention first issued alerts to colleges and schools across the country. In April and May, the discovery of a few cases of swine flu led USF to ban handshakes at its graduation ceremonies. Several Tampa Bay area schools also shut down for a comprehensive cleaning.
Though swine flu has been designated as a worldwide pandemic and has affected more than 1 million Americans, its symptoms appear to be milder than initially thought. That led to the more relaxed public health recommendations for schools, said Linda Cobbe, spokeswoman for Hillsborough Schools.
Traditional back-to-school plans usually include a good cleaning of each facility, so no additional efforts are being made to wipe down handrails, cafeterias or common areas. More than 180,000 Hillsborough County students, grades K-12, will return to class Aug. 25.
Those students will receive information about hygienic prevention on the first day of school. That includes advice about frequent hand washing; coughing or sneezing into a sleeve; and staying away from crowds or school if they exhibit flu-like symptoms.
"We would prefer these children stay home, teachers also," Cobbe said.
Unlike the spring, don't expect a school to shut its doors if a single student or staff member is diagnosed with swine flu, Cobbe said. Instead, there will be specific procedures in place to disinfect the facility and inform the campus about the infection, per health department recommendations.
"If they see some trend that concerns them, we will take their advice," Cobbe said.
The health department also is working with USF and school district officials as possible sources to help in the upcoming distribution of swine flu vaccines. The vaccine could be available around October.
Cobbe said if the public schools play a role in the vaccinations, it doesn't mean the shots will be mandatory. A swine flu vaccine, like one for seasonal flu, is not required to attend Florida public schools.
Terenzi said USF always faces an uphill battle getting college students to take preventative health measures. Seasonal flu shots are offered, but few students take the opportunity to get vaccinated. She said the heightened awareness of the swine flu may mean there's a better chance students will heed their advice.
"Students are so much more likely to take it more seriously than the seasonal flu," she said.
For more information about the swine flu, visit the special report at TBO.com, Keyword: Swine Flu.
http://bulletin.aarp.org/states/fl/...wants_student_body_be_prepared_swine_flu.html